Butter dispenser



May 24, 1949.

Filed DeG. 19, 1947 R.E.DODGE BUTTER DISPENSER 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec; 19, 1947 JNV TOR. 5479/5 oc? e BY v c vg

ATTO/UVEK? May 24, 1949. R. E. DODGE BUTTER DISPENSER 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed DeG. 19, 1947 MPN (l NMIII May 24, 1949. R. E. DODGE BUTTER DISPENSER 5 SheetsSheet 4 Filed.l Dec. 19, 1947 INVENTOR. afs/ Ef fi e BY Y n l Arron/'viva May 24, 1949. R. E. DODGE 2,471,399

BUTTER DISPENSER 5 sheets-sheet 5 Filed Dec. 19, 1947 2 w51 m\\ e fr 2 ffy f/ y l /4 ff i f5 /4/l I f] JNVENTOR.

.rosoeciiro food, rgeooioiaoloi Patented May- 24, 1949 25,471,399 .BUTTER DISPENSER munis. ndose., Takomaiafrk, Moi Applicauiin-ebei'1bf `19, loir/.,seii Lid/732,763

i y (C1, sp1-.6)` I 1 inyoriiion relatos iofiiiinrovoiiionis lisloeosios oooioiiisoiid moro Pariio .any to@ ilo@ ooiooisoiiilio Present. liiYoiiiioo, io'provido an impr oddio "rig-.d @for ser: @uns individuals .lo material from loiilk` Supply. of suoli. 11.1. ..l aofi placing `simil, Sonrisas in ospeotiro .om or; rooooiaoles wiilif outfooritoot of'iohe ma 'l with auysouroe of Lio 'ooiiioriiinouoni maintains., the.. oairi'ol, Suolo. @solution in olefin., fresh.. and oool? Condition untilr olio', dissenso@ from tpe. Inay'lf.1`i.ne ,v oykiiohhwill`l recei 1, 5 Sarg-fing? or, ed slide. clarified asiiios forfsiiocles yGoriVorioiflily remo .ings of food from flolooiiiiig m while. no. .low the food magasine, means for. @arr .v

Serve .supply of froosiailjacent thel food maga.-

ontal cross-section taken substantially on me. sI-'a of. Figure' 2i y*Figure 4 isV a vertical cross-section` of a fragmoiioryooriioii. off ilifo disoo'srialoo "Substantially on the line Vll-vll of. FgureB, and particu-4 lazily illustrating tne'rnariually-operat'ed dispensios 'mooholoismoi tho douce:

' Fig'uroo'is o. tedio oros'sfsooiioo of a frog.- nientary portion of the dispenser, particularly il? lustatingthe rfood-"r` feivirigk magazine, taken substantially on. lino 5 of Figure 4.:

Figure is atop plan View of a fragmentary portion of a manuallyffoperatedf dispensing slide illustrated in dosis-section in Figure 4 looking downward from theiipeS--B vof Figure 4;

Figure 7 is. a. longiludiiiol oioSS-Sooiioli 0f a fragr'lentary end portion ofthe slide showing a structural detail luding an anti-reversing lfCh. for the slide and' is taken substantially on the line 1,-7 ofFigure 3;

Figure 8 is a tijansyezrse cross-section of. the manuallyoperated slide taken substantially on the line'S-' of Figure ai;V

Figure 91s a veijtioal ciossfsection of the fragmentary upper portion of the food magazine, ooriiool'arly illustrating the drive. moons for ille device which automatically replenishes the sup-l ply ofy food, in. tho food. magazine; Figure 10. is a vertical cross-section of the fragmentary lowerv end portion of the 4food magazine and associated portion of the dispenser support and. Slide; Figure 11 is a side elevation of the lower end portion of the food. magazine; and

Figure 12 is a 'longitudinalcross-section of a fragmentary portion ofthe dispensing slide, taken substantially on the plane of section line |2|2 of Figure 11 and' showing a constructional detail.

The improved dispenser comprises, in general, a substantially horizontal support in the form' of a platform I supported at the upper edge of a base wall II` and provided with a pair of spacedapart openings above which are mounted respectively a substantially vertical food magazine I2 and chip or receptacle magazine I3, a manuallyoperated reciprocating slide i4 supported by the platform lil immediately below the magazine openings therein, a cylindrical standard I5 mounted on the platform Ill and extending upwardly therefrom, and a carrier I6 rotatably mounted on the standard I5 and carrying a reserve supply of food for automatically replenishing the food supply in the food magazine I2.

Preferably the dispenser has an outer cover or casing I1, formed of heat-insulating material, and mounted upon the platform I0 surrounding and enclosing the carrier i6. The interior of the cylindrical carrier I5 may be utilized as an ice receptacle for refrigerating the food supply in the dispenser or, as illustrated, a refrigerating coil i8 may be mounted within the standard and operatively connected to refrigerating apparatus contained within the base wall II, such refrigerating apparatus including a conventional compressor I9, a compressor driving electric motor 2G, a condenser 2|, and the usual expansion valve and automatic controls which it has not been considered necessary to illustrate in detail. A cylindrical receptacle 22 for coiee cream or other food material which it is desired to maintain under refrigeration, may be disposed within the refrigerating coil I8 and provided with an outlet conduit 23 extending from a sump 24 in the bottorn of the container and having at its outer end a valve or faucet 25 through which the cream or other contents may be withdrawn from the container 22, as desired. The container 22 preferably has a cover or lid 25 provided with an apertured central depression 21 within which is mounted a knob 28. A rod 29 extends through knob 28 and the aperture in depression 21 and carries at its lower end a stopper 3G which ts into the sump 24 to close the bottom outlet of the container 22 when desired.

There is also illustrated a Cooling coil 3| disposed between the platform Ii) and the bottom of container 22 which coil may be used for cooling water to thereby constitute the dispenser a station unit at which a food server may obtain a butter serving, cream for coffee and chilled water to ll a water glass without having to gather these items from separate locations thereby saving time and materially improving the eii'lcient serving of food in a food handling establishment, such as a restaurant, hotel, etc.

The cooling coil 3! is connected at one end to a water supply conduit and extends at its other end to a suitable faucet 32, illustrated in Figure l.

The chip or receptacle magazine i3 comprises a tubular member of square or rectangular crosssectional shape secured at its lower end to the upper surface of platform IIJ over opening 33 and preferably having one open side for convenience in stacking the chips or receptacles 34 therein. The bottom receptacle of the stack rests upon the corresponding end of slide I4 for movement by the slide in a manner to be later described.

The food magazine I2 is particularly illustrated in Figures 4, 5, and 11, and comprises a tube 35 of square or rectangular cross-section secured to and extending upwardly from the platform IIJ surrounding the opening 36 in the platform. This tube is of a size to loosely receive a food unit such .as a quarter-pound butter stick disposed lengthwise of the tube. A pair of leaf springs are secured inside of the tube with their upper ends secured to the inner surfaces of opposite tube walls, the spring 31 being secured to the outer wall of the tube and the spring 38 to the inner wall thereof. A pair of similar springs 32 and 40 are also mounted within the tube with their upper ends secured to the inner surfaces of the opposite side walls of the tube, as is particularly illustrated in Figure 4. These leaf springs act to center the butter stick in the tube and permit it to slide downwardly through the tube without sticking as individual butter servings are successively removed from the bottom end of the stick.

A pair of leaf springs 4I and 42 are secured at their upper ends to the upper portions of the tube side walls exteriorly thereof and are provided at their lower ends with dogs 43 which extend inwardly through respective apertures or slots 44 in the tube side walls near the bottom end thereof to grip the sides of a butter stick received in the magazine tube and hold the stick against downward movement during certain phases of the operation of the dispenser. A lever 45 is pivotally mounted on the outer wall of the tube near the lower end thereof by a suitable pivot pin 46 and is provided with an extension 41 which projects downwardly through a slot 48 in the platform I0 to a position alongside the slide I4. A pivoted link 4Q, Figure ll, connects the upper end of lever 45 with spring 4I and a similar link 50 connects the lever 45 below the pivot pin 46 with the spring 42 so that the two springs are moved outwardly at their lower ends away from the side walls 0L the tube when the extension 41 of the lever is moved to the right, as viewed in Figure ll, thereby retracting the dogs 43 to permit the butter stick to move downwardly in the magazine tube, This dog-retracting movement is imparted to the lever extension 41 by an abutment 5I on slide I4 which abutment contacts the opposed end of an adjustable extension 52 carried by the extension 41 near the lower end thereof.

This abutment is mounted on the free end of a leaf spring 5! secured to the slide side rail 53 and which acts to resiliently retract the abutment to the inoperative position shown in broken lines in Figure 12 when there is no receptacle in the slide. A receptacle 34 in the slide forces the abutment outwardly to the full line position in which it will contact the extension 52. Thus, the dogs 43 cannot be retracted to release the food in the food magazine unless there is a food-receiving receptacle in operative position on the slide. With this arrangement, when the slide is moved to its limiting right-hand position, as viewed in Figure 4, the lever 45 will be turned about the pivot pin 46 to retract the dogs 43 and permit the butter stick to drop into a receptacle 34 supported by the slide immediately below the opening 35 in platform I0.

The slide I4 is particularly illustrated in Figure 4, 8 and l0 and comprises a pair of substantially parallel side walls 53 secured at their forward ends to a transverse end wall 54. A transverse plate 55 is secured between the side walls or side rails 53 of the slide and extends from the rear, or left-hand ends of these rails as viewed in Figure 4, forwardly to a location substantially at the mid-length of the two parallel side rails. This plate 55 is providedat its forward end with a downwardly-curved end portion, the at portion of the plate being disposed below the top edges -of the side rails a distance substantially equal to -the height of one of the chips or receptacles 34 and the curved portion 56 extending downwardly tension 52 permitting the dogs 43 to re-engage the butter stick to prevent its dropping down through the tube I2 until the next succeeding dispensing operation of the slide. As soon as the wire 'I5 has been moved sufficiently to completely sever the butter stick, the receptacle 34 with an individual serving of butter therein drops past the curved forward end 56 of the plate 55 and onto a curved delivery track 35 supported in the base portion of the dispenser by suitable means, such as the bracket 86 and side wall 01 of an inset 88 provided in a corner of the base, as is clearly illustrated in Figure 1. Wire l will have reached the rearward end of opening 00 while the rearward edge of cover plate 68 is still near the forward edge of the opening. At this location detent 'I3 of latch 60 will enter recess 'I4 releasing tongue 64 so that the cover plate 06 may now be moved independently to underlie and close the opening 30. The apparatus is now in position for a subsequent dispensing operation.

' Referring now to Figure 2, it will be noted that the rotatable carrier Iii comprises an inner cylindrical wall 90 provided near its lower edge with an internal annular ilange 9| supported on rollers 92 journaled in an external annular rib 93 secured to the cylindrical standard I5 intermediate the height thereof. The lower edge of the wall 90 is provided with gear teeth 0d for a purpose which will presently appear.

A plurality of close-spaced tubular pockets 95 are arranged around the exterior of the upper portion of cylindrical wall 90 and secured thereto with the upper ends of the pockets substantially ush with the upper edge of the cylindrical wall. A hinged door 90 closes the lower end of each pocket 95 and is releasably retained in closed position, as illustrated in Figure 2, by a respective spring catch 91 which extends downwardly below the bottom of the pocket. An annular cover 08 covers the upper end of all of the pock- -ets of the annular series arranged around the cylindrical wall 90 and this cover has an inner depending flange 99 which lies within the upper end of the cylindrical wall 90.

As an incomplete movement of the slide I4 in either direction would disrupt the timing between the operation of the slide and the feeding of the receptacles 34, means are provided to render the movements of the slide irreversible except at each end of the reciprocatory slide movement. Suitable means for this purpose are particularly illustrated in Figure '7, and comprise a series of teeth |00 formed on the upper edge of one of the side rails 53 of the slide, a notch |0| formed in the side rail at the inner end of the set of teeth, a block |02 mounted upon the platform I0 above the corresponding side rail 53 and having a recess |03 therein which receives the upper end of the tongue |04 pivotally secured in the slot by a pivot pin |05 and extending downwardly through an opening |06 in the platform. When the tongue |04 is at either end of the set of teeth |00, movement of the slide may be reversed, but the tongue has on its lower end oppositely-disposed detents which engage the teeth at intermediate positions of the slide so that the slide must be moved to the full extent of its movement in either direction before its movement can be reversed.

A lever |01, particularly illustrated in Figure 5, is pivotally mounted on the inner side of the tubular food magazine |2 by a pivot pin |08 which extends through the lever at substantially the mid-length location thereof and is secured at its inner end in the tube inner wall. This lever projects downwardly through an elongated slot |09 in the platform I0 and has its lower end bfurcated to receive a pin I|0 which projects outwardly from the adjacent side rail 53 of slide I4. The upper end of lever |01 is arcuately curved about the axis of pin |08 as a eenter and is provided with gear teeth which mesh with the teeth of an idler gear |I2 journaled on an axle pin i3 which is slidably mounted in an aperture in the inner wall of the food magazine tube. This idler gear ||2 meshes with the gear teeth 94 on the lower edge of the cylindrical wall of carrier I6 so that the carrier is rotatable by swinging movement of the lever |0'| under actuation of the slide I4.

Lever ||4 is pivotally mounted at one end to the inner side of the food magazine tube within an opening I|5 somewhat above the axle pins ||3 and carries a pair of cams ||6 which bear against the adjacent side of gear I|2, so that when the lever is forced downwardly and held down by the presence of a butter stick in the magazine, the idler gear is forced outwardly and out of mesh with the teeth 94 of the cylindrical wall 90. The gear is resiliently urged into mesh with the teeth 94 by a leaf spring I I'I, one end of which is apertured to receive the corresponding end of axle pin |3. The cams are provided with aligned shoulders IB and a weighted latch member ||9 pivotally mounted on the inner wall of the food magazine tube engages these shoulders to releasably lock the gear ||2 in its outer position in which it is out of mesh with the gear teeth 94.

The operation of this last-described portion of the mechanism is substantially as follows:

As long as there is a sufficient supply of butter in the food magazine I2, to maintain the lever ||4 depressed, the idler gear ||2 remains out of mesh with the gear teeth 94 so that the rotatable carrier I I6 is not moved. This out-of-mesh position of the idler gear I|2 is particularly illustrated in Figure 9 wherein it is shown that the rack end |20 of lever |01 has suicient thickness that the gear l2 remains in mesh with the gear teeth |I| of the lever regardless of whether it is in mesh with the gear teeth 94 of the cylindrical wall 90.

If now the supply of -butter in the magazine I2 is diminished to an extent such that the lever ||4 is permitted to rise, idler gear ||2 will move into mesh with the gear teeth 94 on the lower edge of wall 90 as soon as the slide I4 is moved to its limiting forward or right-hand position, since, in that position of the slide the upper end of lever |01 strikes a depending detent |2| on the outer end of latch ||9 and moves the latch to free the idler gear I2 for inward movement into mesh with the gear teeth 94. Upon the subsequent rearward or left-hand movement of the slide, lever |07 is swung about its pivotal connection |00 rotating the carrier I0 to move an empty pocket 95 away from the upper end of magazine I2 and a subsequent loaded pocket into registry with the upper end of the magazine. As the loaded pocket reaches its position over the upper end of the magazine I2 a tongue |22 projecting upwardly from the forward side of the magazine strikes the depending tongue 9T of the pocket door latch and releases the door 96 which immediately swings downwardly into the upper end of the magazine, as is clearly illustrated in Figure 4. The butter stick then falls from the animee pocket vinto -the Amagazine depressing the lever l Mandimoving idler* gear *H2 `out 'of m'eshwith `gear teethSil. "The carrier I6 willthen remain liimrnov'able fun'til .this butter Y'stick is exhausted from themagazineisut'ciently to allowthe lever 11"! to rise, at which "time the above operation -repeated to automatically re-load the magazine. 'As the emptied pocket moves away from 'the magazine a'curved bracket |23` contacts the vunderside of the door "96 vand vforces `the door "upwardly'until Vit" clo'sesthe `bottom* of the pocket and -'is re-.engaged'fbylatch"91. This conditions Ithe emptypocketforre-loading, when desired.

When itiisde'sired'L to re-Ioa'd the carrier pockets,

"thetopcover' |25`of theouter casing i7 is opened "oriremove'dfthe 'pocket cover 98 is subsequently -removed to uncover the upper ends of the pockets '95, "and 'a "butter `stick iis then placed in each "emptypoc'ket until the 'machine is re-loaded to Vthe `'desired extent.

As .is particularly illustrated in Figure l, the

"curvedtrack 85'extendsdownward1y to the front "bottom corn'er'o'f 'the'device where it is flattened to provide 'a rest constituting a convenient location for the Iremoval of loaded butter receptacles, "from thefmacln'ne.' "Therouter covering is pro- 'vided'wth a 'door' |26 which may be opened to 'give .access to the receptacle magazine I3 so `that a 'supply of'receptacles can be stacked in 'this magazineandwitha seconddoor '21 which maybe opened to` give access to the food magazine T2 so "that this 'Dort'ion ofthe device may be cleaned and sterilized, when desired, and any v'misplaced particles-of food .removed therefrom.

Asis clearly apparent froniFigure 1, the device provides a neat and attractive appearance and is'feasyand convenient to operate and, as` may "of food, such Vas butter, from the food magazine,

"and for `automatically refilling the magazine vWhenreQuiI'ed. 'The .device is also of simple and #economical V"construction and `not subject toi;,45,

roperating diiiicu'lties and dispenses individual food servingsof uniform quantity at al1 times.

The inventionlmay'be em-bodied in other specif forms without departing' from` the ,spirit `or eiessentiall 'characteristics thereof. The vpresent fenibodimentis; therefore; to be considered in all `:irespectsfasillustrative 'and not restrictive, the Gs'cope vof the :invention being indicated 'by the #appended claims rather than by the foregoing dei-scription,I and allclranges which come within the -mean'ingandf range offequivalency of the claims are, thereforainterided to be embracedv therein.

Q'What is claimed is: .1. `A-fdispensingldevicef.comprising a platform,

:za foodJ-magazirie and a foodrecepta'cle magazine@ .fanounted'fon saidfplatfomn in proximity toeach afother, v`said? .food vmagazine being adapted to cony@tain ia body of Afood movable downwardly therein :wand saidreceptaclef magazine being adapted to woontain arstack'o'f dood-receiving receptacles, and' i z. a manually-operated fslide Asupported-on said platform belowrbothof said @ma gazines for reciproca- Vtion.ina'difx'ectiori fexterrding f-rom one of said magazines Yto I the other; said f slide comprising..` a

pair of substantiallyifpatallelf.sidefsraiils, a transverse plate `between therearward :portions of .said Aside rai-lshaving a downwa'rdly-lcurvedv frontend 4and iiirovidingtl'iereabovewa guideway for :food receptacles,A 'a lhook'fsecured-to the .rear endxof saidplate forlmoving receptacles from the bot-2x75 d0 :tom of 'a stack of such receptacles in jsaid yrecept'acle'magazine onto said v gnideway a food fcuttingwire extending 4tramsversely between said side rails'ahe'a'd of'said plate, and a"handkno`b operatively'connected tosaid'side rails'and ac cessible at 'the top ofsaid platform.

22. A dispensing device comprising a` platform, a food. magazine anda food 1 receptacle magazine .mounted .on` saidpla'tform in proximity to each other, said faluodmagazine being-adapted to .con- .tain a .body of food movable downwardly therein and said receptacle.magazinegbeing adapted to .contain a stack of receptacles, .and a manually- .operated slide Asupported on.sa`idplatform below hothhofsaid -magazines `for reciprocat'ion in a Vdirection -extendingiromfone of` said magazines .tothe other, said magazines being disposed .above .and Ysaidslide.below said platformand said platfor-m having a respective opening. .thereinat the ,lower 4end of. each magazine, said slide comprising a guideway forflguiding,receptacles` from .said receptacle magazine-` to Y,Said .foodimagazine and.. for .dischanging said ,freceptacles `from said slide, vmeans .at the rear. endfof :said A,g-uidewa-y for moving a receptacle fromasaid-receptaclemagazine onto said guideway i upon; each recipnocation, .of said Aslide,vand` means for severing:an1 individual servingof foodfromthe-lowerfjend of vthe-md5' of .food insaid .food magazine nponeachlreciprocaltion of said :slide 'land whi1e-a-.ffood-receiving receptacle is positioned f Vbelow ,the lower end-of fsaidfood magazine.

3. dispensing devicecomimisingy a: platform Ahaving :openings therein, a food magazine-.and a food meceptacle :magazine jmounted gon `.sa-id platform above'v. respect-iveacl @dings and. im prox- ".imity .tmeachfothen said f foodmagazine being adapted 4sto contain a body of food movable v. :1owr1vvai'd1y .thereinaand, said receptacle magazinefbein'g adapted togfoontain a -stack` Vof recep- -tac1es, sa manually-operated; 'slidesupported :on wsaidvplatform-lbelow both k-of :said openingsfor :reciprocation- :in a;v direction extending .from one -of said magazines vto.thenothensaid sl-ide com- -prising aiguideway fori guiding receptacles from said freceptacle'magazine to said` food magazine andi` for discharging said freceptacles from .sa-id uslide, means latt the rea-r endyof .said .rguideway .ffor -movingfza `receptacle from .said `receptacle magazine ontosaidguideway upon eachreciprocationl'of' said jslide, :and meansv .for .severing- :an individual serving fof; toodfrom :thev iower `end -of jthe body :of ,food Ain...saidf'food-magazine upon feachfreciprocation fof :said slide, a Yres'ilientlysup- .ported'detent extending `'through -fan zopening in said platformwadjacent itheforward side -of said .fsreceptacle .magazinevandengaging the--rearmost "receptacle .on:lsa`id guide'way tohol'd the recep- 1: tacl'es :on saidiguidewa-y `:against -reverse movement, and-a v`spring -tongue `extending "through l an .opening @inv-said platform jbetween said I.magazinesandengaging the receptacles on saidguidetozmaintainsuch receptacles in end-to-end relationship.

4.A ufood dispensing dev-ice comprising a platlform `having openings therein, la 'food magazine .and aifoodreceptaclem-agazine mounted on said platform above respective openings and in prox- .Limiity to 'each othensaid food magazine being #adapted ltocontain abody of `food movabledown- '.Wardly -therein andsaid receptacle magazine, be- I1ling@adapted to l.contain 5a stack of V"individual food wservingreceptacles.- a k-irianually-operated slide ...supported :on said platformbelow both Aof said 4v.magazines for reciprocation -in^a direction kexil tending from one of said magazines to the other, said slide comprising a pair of substantially parallel side rails, a plate between the rearward portions of said side rails constituting a guideway for guiding receptacles from said receptacle magazine to said food magazine and discharging them from said slide, an extension on the rear end of said plate, a hook on the rear end of said extension for moving a receptacle from said receptacle magazine onto said guideway upon each reciprocation of said slide, a hand knob for reciprocating said slide, means extending through a corresponding opening in said platform connecting said hand knob to said side rails, and means carried by said side rails operative to sever an individual serving of food from the bottom of the body of food in said food magazine upon each reciprocation of said slide and when a food-receiving receptacle is supported by said guideway immediately below said food magazine.

5. A food dispenser comprising a platform, a food magazine and a food receptacle magazine mounted on said platform in proximity to each other, said food magazine being adapted to hold a body of food movable downwardly therein and said food receptacle magazine being adapted to hold a stack of individual food-serving receptacles, a slide supported by said platform for reciprocatory movement below both of said magazines and in a direction extending from one of said magazines to the other, said slide comprising a pair of substantially parallel side rails, a plate between the rearward portions of said side rails and secured thereto to constitute a guideway for carrying receptacles from said receptacle magazine past said food magazine and for discharging said receptacles from said slide, means extending rearwardly from the rear end of said plate operative to engage the bottom receptacle of said stack and move it onto said guideway upon reciprocation of said slide, means carried by said side rails operative to sever an individual serving of food from the lower end of the body of food in said food magazine upon each reciprocation of said slide, a tongue slidably mounted between said side rails, a hand knob secured to the forward end of said tongue, a cover plate carried by the rearward end of said tongue and adapted to cover the lower end of said food magazine in one operative position of said tongue, and a latch operatively engageable between said side rails and said tongue operative to releasably hold said tongue in a forward position relative to said side rails until said slide reaches a predetermined position in its rearward movement, at Which position an individual food serving has been completely severed from said food body, and to then release said tongue for rearward movement of said cover plate relative to said side rails to cover the lower end of the body of food in said food magazine.

6. A food dispenser comprising a platform, a food magazine, a food receptacle magazine, and a cylindrical standard mounted on said platform in proximity to each other, said food magazine being adapted to hold a body of food for downward movement therein'and said receptacle magazine being adapted to hold a stack of individual foodserving receptacles, a slide supported by said platform for reciprocatory movement below both of said magazines in a direction extending from one of said magazines to the other, and a carrier for a reserve supply of food rotatably supported on said cylindrical standard adjacent to said food magazine, said slide comprising a guideway for guiding receptacles from said receptacle magazine to said food magazine and for discharging said receptacles from said slide, means at the rear end of said guideway for moving a receptacle from said receptacle magazine onto said guideway upon each reciprocation of said slide, and means for severing an individual serving of food from the lower end of the body of food in said food magazine upon each reciprocation of said slide, and said carrier comprising a cylindrical Wall rotatably mounted upon said cylindrical standard and having gear teeth in the lower edge thereof, a series of annularly-arranged pockets secured around the outside of said cylindrical wall, each adapted to receive a body of food, a hinged door at the bottom end of each pocket, and latch means for said doors operative to release said doors upon registry of the corresponding pockets with the upper end of said food magazine for deposit of the body of food carried in said pockets into said food magazine, and means drivingly connecting said slide with said carrier.

7. A food dispenser comprising a platform, a food magazine, a food receptacle magazine, and a cylindrical standard mounted onl said platform in proximity to each other, said food magazine being adapted to hold a body of food for downward movement therein and said receptacle magagine being adapted to hold a stack of individual food-serving receptacles, a slide supported by said platform for reciprocatory movement below both of said magazines in a direction extending from one of said magazines to the other, and a carrier for a reserve supply of food rotatably supported on said cylindrical standard adjacent to said food magazine, said slide comprising a guideway for guiding receptacles from said receptacle magazine to said food magazine and for discharging said receptacles from said slide, means at the rear end of said guideway for moving a receptacle from said receptacle magazine onto said guideway upon each reciprocation of said slide, and means for severing an individual serving of food from the lower end of the body of food in said food magazine upon each reciprocation of said slide, and said carrier comprising a cylindrical wall rotatably mounted upon said cylindrical standard and having gear teeth in the lower edge thereof, a series of annularly-arranged pockets secured around the outside of said cylindrical wall, each adapted to receive a body of food, a hinged door at the bottom end of each pocket, and latch means for said doors operative to release said doors upon registry of the corresponding pockets with the upper end of said food magazine for deposit of the body of food carried in said pockets into said food magazine, means drivingly connecting said slide with said carrier, and said means drivingly connecting said slide with said carrier comprising a lever pivotally supported from said platform having an arcuate upper end provided with gear teeth, means connecting the lower end of said lever with said slide for partial rotation of said lever upon each reciprocation of said slide, an idler gear operatively disposed between the gear teeth on said lever and the gear teeth on said cylindrical carrier wall, and means carried by said food magazine operative to maintain said idler gear out of mesh with one set of associated gear teeth as long as there is an adequate supply of food in said food magazine.

8. In a dispensing device, a substantially horizontal platform having two spaced-apart openings therein, an elongated manually-operated slide carried by said platform below said openings for reciprocation relative to said platform, a food 13 magazine carried by said platform above one of said openings, and adapted to hold a, body of food for downward movement therein, a stack of flat receptacles carried by said platform and extending above the other of said openings, a guideway on said slide receiving a train of receptacles in end-to-cnd relationship, means on said slide operative to move a receptacle from the bottom of said stack onto said guideway upon each reciprocation of said slide and to thereby move another receptacle past said food magazine opening and to discharge Ithe same from said guideway, and means carried by said slide operative to sever an individual serving of food from the body of food in said food magazine upon each reciprocation of said slide.

9. In a dispensing device, a substantially horizontal platform having two spaced-apart openings therein, an elongated slide carried by said platform below said openings for reciprocation relative to said platform, a food magazine carried by said platform above one of said openings, a stack of flat food-receiving receptacles carried by said platform and extending above the other of said openings, a guideway on said slide receiving a train of receptacles in end-to-end relationship, means on said slide operative to move a receptacle onto said guideway upon each reciprocation of said slide and to thereby move another receptacle past said food magazine opening and to discharge the same from said slide, means carried by said food magazine and operated by said slide to deposit the lower end of the food in said food magazine into each food-receiving receptacle brought under said food magazine opening in said platform, and means carried by said slide operative t sever an individual serving from the lower end of the food in said food magazine for discharge of said food serving with the receptacle in which it is deposited.

l0. In a dispensing device, a substantially horizontal platform having two spaced-apart openings therein, an elongated slide carried by said platform below said openings for reciprocation relative to said platform, a food magazine carried by said platform above one of said openings, a stack of flat food-receiving receptacles carried by said posit the lower end of the food in said food magazine into each food-receiving receptacle brought under said food magazine opening in said platform, means carried by said slide operative to sever an individual serving from the lower end of the food in said food magazine for discharge of said food serving with the receptacle in which it is deposited, and means carried by said support and operated by said slide to automatically replenish the supply of food in said food magazine when required.

11. In a dispensing device, a platform, a magazine for holding food mounted on said platform, a manually-operated slide supported on said platform below said food magazine for reciprocation relative to said platform, means on said slide for severing an individual food serving from the lower end of the body of food in said magazine, a standard on said platform, a carrier rotatably mounted on said standard and having a plurality of annularly-arranged food-carrying pockets thereon registrable with the upper end of said magazine to deposit food therein, and means drivingly connecting said slide and said carrier to actuate said carrier by movement of said slide to replenish the food supply in said magazine when required.

RALPH E. DODGE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

